Tanzania

Tanzania is characterised by huge inequalities despite being classified since 2020 as a middle-income country. The year saw an extraordinary rainy season and peaceful national elections. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population is unclear since there are no verified data from the government.

Mbulu Babati Kilombero Ulanga Malinyi

Head Office: Ifakara Pemba

Ancuabe Chiúre Namuno

56,483 births in health care facilities within the programme area – that is an increase of 3,400 compared with the previous year.

Training for 476 health care professionals and community health workers.

436 newborns benefitted from the services of the Kangaroo Mother Care ward.

Here’s how SolidarMed made a difference in Tanzania

Healthy newborns in Malinyi

Project term 2018–2021 Region Malinyi District Target group Mothers and newborns. Objective Improving health care and survival of newborns and (often teenage) pregnant women.

Main activities

► Knowledge transfer about sexual and reproductive as well as maternal and neonatal health through education and awareness-raising campaigns in remote villages and schools ► Training of peers, groups of mothers, community health workers, art groups, sporting events ► Improving health care quality and access to health care services through mobile clinics. Provision of services specifically for adolescents and newborns closer to their homes

Women, newborns and adolescents

Project term 2018–2021 Region Ulanga District Target group Pregnant women, newborns and adolescents.

Objective Improving the health of pregnant women, newborns and adolescents.

Main activities

► Enhancing the infrastructure of health care facilities (renovation of an obstetrics ward in a health centre) ► Continuing education, supervision and provision of basic medical equipment ► Awareness-raising measures at schools and in communities to draw attention to health services ► Home visits by health workers

Rehabilitation of hydroelectric power plant

Project term 2020–2021 Region Kilombero District Target group Mbingu Centre, led by the Franciscan Sisters of Charity with a health centre for 20,556 inhabitants, an orphanage with 70 orphans, a kindergarten and a girls’ secondary school (440 schoolchildren).

Objective Ensuring the supply of electric power for vital health care services for the people in the catchment area.

Main activities

► Rehabilitation of the hydroelectric power plant by laying a weather-resistant steel pipe ► Training of a technical team ► Supervision and follow-up

▲ Registered nurse Habiba Nyagongo at the Kangaroo Mother Care unit takes care of a preterm infant. rl

Spotlight Kangaroo Mother Care

The Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) project in Malinyi District was launched in 2018. The aim of the project is to save the lives of as many premature infants as possible. 48% of deaths in children under 5 years in this area happen after premature births. Specific services for premature infants and low birthweight babies began in July 2019, after the construction of the KMC ward at Lugala Hospital. SolidarMed provided the equipment for this simple intensive care unit and facilitated training of the clinical personnel and awareness-raising in the communities. The demand for these services is so great that the unit already had to be expanded in 2020. In 2019, 195 newborns benefited from these vital services; by 2020 this figure had already risen to 436. The neonatal mortality rate dropped from 24% in 2019 to 14% in 2020. These successes were shared with the authorities all the way to the national level, and a scale-up of the concept is currently in the pipeline. ■

Benatus Sambili, Country Director

In 2020, the focus was on strengthening the four pillars of the programme. Better infrastructure and provision of medical equipment and supplies were implemented to ensure access to medical care. In addition, we implemented health programmes which benefit hard-to-reach areas, thus creating more equitable conditions for the egregiously impoverished population. Furthermore, we strengthened already existing community groups and health workers through training and community-based outreach interventions. Another focus was assisting health workers to complete their studies and motivate them to return to rural areas to apply their knowledge. Constant monitoring and dialogue with various stakeholders are needed to realign our existing projects with national and global contexts. We were able to achieve 90% of the original plan for the year despite the COVID19-pandemic and floods which cut us off from some project areas for as long as four months.